Recently, FairFacts spoke with student musicians and covered events like Music Club’s Open Mic afternoon. But musical opportunities are arising all around the Fairfax area. Outside of high school, and deep in the heart of Old Town, Earps Ordinary’s newest addition to the music scene is under construction, in a big way.
With 10,600 square feet, and room for nearly 300 attendees, the ambitious venue aims to serve as an additional music outlet for the talented figures within the community. Despite major music venues in DC, trips to Union Stage, 9:30 Club, or the Black Cat, are marred with a sluggish commute. Alternatives like Vienna’s Wolf Trap are few and far in between. Less than six minutes from our school, Earps may be a viable solution to this problem. Over the month of February, Earps is holding one of its first events of the year, hosting the DC Bluegrass Union every Friday and Saturday night.
Interestingly, Earps isn’t a new name to Fairfax. The restaurant is named after an 18th-century tavern, Earps Ordinary, which sat somewhere further down Main Street until its demolition in 1920. Caleb Earp, the owner of the original tavern, provided food and rest to travelers heading out of Washington. Today, the venue’s managing partner, Josh Alexander, referenced the restaurant’s namesake in an interview with FFX Now, saying, “We’re using the name, sort of like a throwback to something that was there that had food, music, spirits.” Hopefully Alexander and owner Micheal DeMarco are successful in carrying on the Earps legacy, but a large venue in a small town requires many working factors. The foremost, workers.
Earps Ordinary hopes to hire around 30 employees for the various pieces of their performing puzzle. From sound techs to hosts, this provides a rare opportunity to work hands-on with music. And most importantly, Earps is looking for musicians and comedians to take the stage.
But it’s not just artists who are looking forward to the new addition. Senior Henry Bui explained his excitement of having a venue so close by: “I think it could become a cool place to go to on a Friday night with nothing to do. It’ll be fun to listen to artists that are local to Fairfax.” By creating a new alternative of concert-going, Earps is not only supporting the artistic integrity of Fairfax, but is providing a musical safe haven for those who appreciate the art form. Senior Boyi Dai has aspirations to play at the venue once it opens in full-swing capacity. “If they do something like an open mic night, it could be cool to perform. That way, I’ll have a wider audience listening in and I can really tell whether people like my music or not.”
According to a paper by researchers Arno van der Hoeven and Erik Hitters, having a musical epicenter can strengthen bonds within the community and enhance the cultural ties that carry through from generation to generation. By establishing a creative space, communities have an additional outlet for hanging out, supporting their fellow members, and cultivating experiences that lead to the continuation of them. Inevitably, one fact is clear with Earp’s Ordinary’s new music venue: it will change the town of Fairfax forever with the snare of a drum.